Well the day approaches again this year. I remember where I was that day, actually I had just finished night shify at C F B Trenton Ontario, and I didn't call anyone till the afternoon. This is when my cousin said turn on the TV the US is under attack.
I was stunned to discover that the Canadian Forces were slow to react. The Army was ready to go but the Air Force dithered around ,as Trenton had suddenly become the main effort. Actually Trenton had become a dumping ground ,for decades,meaning that the sick lame and lazy were being sent there. It had the feeling of a retirement posting.
As a remuster from the Infantry I was horrified that there was no BDF plan in place and that htere were not enough rifles on base. The Militia was not activated for war and no balloon had gone up.
The Canadian Governments reaction to this crisis was a joke. If this had been a bigger attack and no one knew that it wasn't we would have been up the creek.
To be fair years of neglect by the Canadian Government and the people of Canada having other priorities just assumed we could keep operating on an ad hoc basis.
Little did anyone know we had been para cording and gun taping the equipment together for decades. My first uniforms issued had dates from the 70's on them. My rifle was manufactured in 1958 and my helmet was WW2 technology. Our flak jackets were only good for light shrapnel and we looked like a pretty shabby army.
A lot has been improved and we have a better capacity now ,but once again it has been paid for in BLOOD.
But who cares about we Veterans aren't we always complaining?
I was stunned to discover that the Canadian Forces were slow to react. The Army was ready to go but the Air Force dithered around ,as Trenton had suddenly become the main effort. Actually Trenton had become a dumping ground ,for decades,meaning that the sick lame and lazy were being sent there. It had the feeling of a retirement posting.
As a remuster from the Infantry I was horrified that there was no BDF plan in place and that htere were not enough rifles on base. The Militia was not activated for war and no balloon had gone up.
The Canadian Governments reaction to this crisis was a joke. If this had been a bigger attack and no one knew that it wasn't we would have been up the creek.
To be fair years of neglect by the Canadian Government and the people of Canada having other priorities just assumed we could keep operating on an ad hoc basis.
Little did anyone know we had been para cording and gun taping the equipment together for decades. My first uniforms issued had dates from the 70's on them. My rifle was manufactured in 1958 and my helmet was WW2 technology. Our flak jackets were only good for light shrapnel and we looked like a pretty shabby army.
A lot has been improved and we have a better capacity now ,but once again it has been paid for in BLOOD.
But who cares about we Veterans aren't we always complaining?
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